Window protector



c. M. KILLIAN wINDow PROTECTOR March 14, 1939.

- originai Filed July so,V 1937 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,150,280 vWINDOW PROTECTOR Charles M.` Killian, Miami, Fla., assignor to Dan L. Killian, Kendall, Fla.

ApplicationJuly 30, 1937, Serial No. 156,567 Renewed February 1, 1939 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in window protectors and more particularly has for an object to provide a -stormprotector for windows for use especially in localities where hurricanes are of sufficiently frequent occurrence to require some covering for the windows to prevent the wind at. high velocity and with entrained particles from coming directly into contact with the window. glass or the sashes. y

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide` a protector of this general character which will afford an increased degree of protection together with easy 'and convenient means for attaching the protector to the window.

Another object of the invention resides in providing such a protector with means to securely hold the same in place and'at the same time facilitate quick application and removal of thc protectors.

20 A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive but effective protection to wind'ows when buildings are closed for an indefinite time; and also to provide a protector which will present a pleasing appearance; and which can be thus putting the protector within the reach of 40 is also necessary for buildings that are temporari- I ly closed for any length of time, inasmuch as such Ventilating prevents mildew and vmusty smells. I

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation, with parts broken away, of a window casing showing the improved protector applied thereto in a position of use.`

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2--2 in Figure 1.

manufactured and installed at a very low cost, l

thus leaving the majority of home owners unable Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3`3 in Figure l, and

Figure 4 is also va. horizontal section taken on s the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 vI designates a window frame and II a window sill. At I2 and I3 are represented the window sashes.

In accordance with the invention I provide a protector plate I4 which is wider in horizontal dimension than the window opening so that it may overlap at both of its edges upon the sides of the window frame IU Vto which it may be afxed strongly adjacent its upper and intermediate portions by any appropriate fastenings, for instance by the screws I5. These fastenings may be in any suitable number and may be spaced apart at suitable distances. The protector plate may be of wood, steel or any other appropriate material, the same being preferably of sufiicient strength to resist the violence of tropical storms, and at the same time possessing a relatively high degree of lightness to facilitate the putting up and the taking down of such protectors and the carrying of the same to and from storage.

The protector plate I4 is suciently high vertically in order that its upper edge may overlap the top part ofthe window frame to which it is atxed by appropriate fastenings I6 in any desired number and in any desired spacing.

The lower edge of thev protector plate I4 is also arranged to overlap the window sill II. A horizontal bar or strip of wood Il is mounted along thelower inner edge of the protector plate I4 and is positioned to bear along the outer edge 35 of the window sill II. A plurality of screws I9 or other suitable fastening means are arranged horizontally spaced apart and passed through lthe lower edge of the protector plate I4 and the strip I 'I to hold these members attached to the window sill III The downwardly projecting portion of the protector plate below the portion thereof which is held firmly lto the window frame I0 by the lowermost screws I is caused to bulge gradually outward from the window frame by having its lower edge passed over the outer face of the strip I'I to which it is secured by the screws I9 to the window sill II. In having a, part of the protector plate I4 bulged outwardly or spaced from the windowframe I0 ventilation slots I8 are formed which may be readily varie-d in size or length as desired by moving the lowermost screws lidownwardly along the outer vertical edge of the plate I4. These Ventilating slots communicate with the external atmosphere and 55 Within the protector plate I4 and held thereby,

so as to constitute therewith a completely transportable unit, is a cross-piece 20 secured to the inner face of the protector plate I4 either integrally or by separate fastenings 2| in any suitable number Vand at any suitable spacing. On the cross-piece are rubber or resilient biunpers 22 projecting inwardly for the purpose of engaging A the cross-rail of the outer sash. These bumpers are in any suitable number and of any suitable diameter. Preferably the bumpers will be sumciently large in diameter so as to engage the sash rail whether the sash is in the completely closed or slightly open position, it being understood that to cooperate with the Ventilating slot heretofore described it may be desirable under certain circumstances to leave the window slightly open at the bottom whereby the advantages of the ventilation afforded by the slots may be had in the room to avoid mildew and musty conditions of the furniture and atmosphere. Ordinarily the inner sash is the lower sash and the bumpers being on the outer side o1' the window will engage the cross rail of the upper or outer sash. It is not so important vthat the outer sash be lowered for ventilation. Therefore, the bumpers 22 will in their xed position ordinarily be placed properly to engagethe cross rail of the upper outer sash and these rubber or resilient bumpers will project inwardly from the inner face of the protector plate suciently far to require a slight compression of the bumpers against the sash when the protector is put in place and the fastenings driven home. Thus the upper outersash will be pressed by the resilient force of the bumpers inwardly against the inner lower sash which may be closed down tight upon v the window sill or lifted slightly for ventilation purposes as previously referred to. In either posltion the resilient pressure of the. bumpers will be transferred through the upper outer sash against the lower sash either directly through the top cross rail of the lower inner sash or against the side stile bars of the lower inner sash in case the same is raised sufliciently high to cause the top rail thereof to be moved upwardly out of alinement with the lower rail of the upper outer sash. In any event the. rubber bumpers will effectively hold both sashes against rattling in the window frame and against any movement of any kind and will tendv to stabilize the sashes and consequently the glass panes therein so as to avoid the setting up of pressures and countern pressures or vacuum yconditions due to high wind velocities. v

It will also be noted that the cross-piece 20 is of substantial vertical depth and that at its ends it fits snugly within the side walls of the window casing or frame Ill. In other words the crosspiece 20 is of a length substantially equal to the width of the window frame whereby its ends substantially engage the sidewalls of the window frame. This will yfacilitate the centering of the protector plate I4 when the plate is being putin place from the outside of thebuilding against the window frame. The strip I1, which may ie ldeeply within the rubber.

carried by the protector plate I4, also centers the plate with respect to the vertical dimension of the window casing. Thus the strip I'I in combination with the cross-piece 20 conjointly act to a rapid centering of the protector plate in and upon the window frame with the screw openings in the protector plate I4 lining up with the screw holes in the window frame.. Thereafter the screws or vother fastenings may be very rapidly put in place, it being understood that rapidity of application of the protector plates is essential in time of short storm warnings in order to .protect property and to secure the advantages for which the present protector has been del vised.

' The cross-piece 20 has another function in that it will prevent lateral or horizontal creeping of the protector plate I4 or the movement of this plate by the wind. The strip I1 serves a like purpose in preventing the descent of the protector plate I4. By virtue of its fastening to the window sill the lstrip I1 also assists the other fastenings to avoid the protector plate I4 warping or casually shifting upwardly or being driven upwardly by window pressure. The width of the strip I1 determines and preserves the maximum width ofthe lower ends of the lvertical slots or openings I8 which afford Ventilating means that can be varied in size to control the inletor wind currents as previously explained.

The invention is especiallyv applicableto wood sashes, but it is intended that the same be applied to various types of windows in which other materials are used.

The substantial vertical depth of the crosspiece 20 and its engagement throughout this long vertical distance at both ends also prevents any tendency of the cross-piece to'rotate about a central horizontal axisand therefore to prevent any similar rotary shifting movement in the protector plate; at the same time the resistance to ro'- tary movement-in the 'cross-piece 20 tends to prevent shearing Aoif of the fastenings 2|. This stabilizing of the cross-piece 20 also prevents the bumpers from getting out of line with the sash rail. The cross-piece 2Ilalso tends to reinforce the shield' or protector plate I4 at a point where it is least supported whereby a relatively thin shield may be used, securing lightness for the device, without having any tendency to succum to the ravages of the storm.

The protectors are easily and quickly installed inasmuch as each window and protector `will carry the same number whereby theregwill be no confusion in installing the protectors on no- .Y tice of the approaching hurricane.

After the hurricane has passed, the protectors can be easily removed and put back in storage for future use. The screw holes in the window frames may be lled with plastic wood and when dry smoothed and repainted, leaving no sign of screw holes lor damage in the window casings.

The rubber -bumpers may be secured tothe cross-piece 2U' by means of screws or other fastenings 23. The Ascrews will compress the material of the rubber bumpers Within the heads of the screws, and preferably cavities 24 will be formed in the outer portions ofthe bumpers 22 to admit the screws 23, whereby the heads ofy the screws will be countersunk, thus avoiding any likelihood of marring the sashes by the screw heads. 'I'hus the screw heads are embedded Moreover the formation of the cavities 24 increases the flexibility vof the outer portions of the bumpers 22 to enable aiooeo same to take up the compressive forces urged upon the bumpers by the act of putting the plate I4 in place. 'Ihus the bumpers may be firmly compressed, and theywill admit of a firm compression'while avoiding the plate I4 bulging out in the middle. The cavities 24-permit the spreading of the outer ends of 'the bumpers when put under this compression.

It is obvious that various 'changes and modications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modiiications being restricted on y by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination with a window frame having a window opening and sashes slidable in said opening, a protector plate removably mounted over said window opening, means to secure said protector plate to the window frame, a crosspiece carried by the protector plate at an intermediate portion thereof and having its end portions engaging within vand against said window frame, and resilient bumpers carried by said cross-piece for engaging a window sash.

2. In combination with a window frame having a window opening therethrough, and sashes slidable in said window opening. of a protector plate removably mounted against the outside of said protector frame, removable fastening means for securing the margin portions of said protector plate to said window frame, a cross-piece carried by the intermediate portion of said protector plate, said cross-piece being of substantial vertical depth and having its end portions snugly received within the window opening and engaging against the window frame, and rubber bumpers carried upon the inside face of said crosspiece and being horizontally deeper than the space between the adjacent sash and the inner face of said cross-piece whereby to cause said' rubber bumpers to be compressed against the sash when theprotector plate is put into place.

3. In combination with a Window frame having a window openingtherethrough, and sashes slidable in said window opening, of a protector plateadapted to be mounted over the window opening, means to space the lower outer edges only of said protector plate from the lower part of the window opening to provideV a Ventilating slot, said means shielding the bottom of said slot from wind violence but leaving the ends of said slot open, and means to secure the protector plate removably to the window frame.

4. In con ination with a window frame having a window opening therein, and sashes slidable in the window opening, of a protector plate adapted to be'secured to the outside of said windowframe, fastening means for securing said protector plate to the' window frame with the lower outer edges of the plate spaced from the bottom of the window opening whereby to provide a Ventilating slot along the lower outer edges of the plate, and means lying within said s lot to shield the bottom of said slot from wind violence but leaving the ends of said Ventilating slot open. 5. In combination with a window frame having an opening therethrough, and sashes movably mounted in said frame, a light thin protector plate removably placed over said window frame, fastening means for securing the plate to the window frame with the lower outer edges of the plate spaced from the bottom of the window opening, a strip secured to the loweredge of the plate and positioned between the window frame and the lower edge of the plate to shield the space below such lower edge of the plate along its length from wind violence but leaving the ends of such space open, a cross-piece secured to the inner portion of said plate at an intermediate part' and engaging against the winmeans vcarried by said 'cross-piece for engaging one of the sashes `and forcing by the resilient pressure the one sash against the other into binding relation.

6. In combination with a window frame having a window opening therein, and sashes mor ably mounted in the window opening, of a protector plate, means for securing said protector plate over the outer side of the window opening, bumpers carried by an intermediate portion of said plate and having their outer surfaces engaging against the adjacent sash, said bumpers having cavities opening outwardly against the sash for increasing the iiexibility of the outer free surface portions of said bumpers, and fastening means for suspending the bumpers from the plate having heads countersunk within said cavities.

7. Incombination with a window frame having a window opening, a protector plate removably mounted over said window opening, cooperatig means on the window frame and the plate for removably securing the plate to the window frame, means carried by the plate for effecting horizontal 'centering of the plate with respect to the Awindow frame, and means carried by the plate and the horizontal centering means for effecting a rough vertical centering of the plate withvrespect to the window frame, the last two mentioned means eiecting a rough lining up of the cooperating securing means.

8. In combination with a window frame having a window opening and inner and outer sashes vertically slidable in said opening, a protector plate mounted over said Window opening, a bumper disposed between the outer sash and the plate and engaging the outer sash, said bumper being of such a height as to permit it to engage the outer sash when the latter is in closed position and when in slightly open position.

CHARLES M. KILLIAN.

- dow frame at its ends, and resilient bumper 

